A Look Back: The Best of 2011
Each year, I like to reminisce a bit about the things that tickled my tummy and delighted my palate while I dined out around Nashville and the cities to which I traveled over the last 12 months. Normally there are two posts: one to cover drinks and the other, food.
Since I was pregnant for more than half of 2011, I found that there really wasn’t enough imbibing going on to create a full blog post this time around. So for 2011, I’ve combined them both and made a Top 13 list that encompasses both food & drink.
Many of the dishes I’ve highlighted were standouts of a full meal I enjoyed at a given restaurant or items I’ve gone back and ordered again and again. You know those foods you eat and then aren’t able to get out of your mind? That’s these.
However, a couple of the featured are ranked for the full meal experience, because I was so blown away by several aspects that I couldn’t narrow it down to specifics. To read more about why I’ve picked each, just click on the links provided. Hopefully you’ve already had a chance to enjoy some of these yourself, but if not, be sure to make it a point to do so in 2012!
#13
Bangkok Peanut Ice Cream
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
Nashville, TN
#12
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Co Co. Sala
Washington, D.C.
#11
The Mickey Finn
Bar No. 308
Nashville, TN
#10
Cream Corn Brulee, Black Kale Salad, Bubbles and Squeak
(on my list to try this year: house made bacon!)
Kayne Prime
Nashville, TN
.
#9
Belly Ham Pizza
City House
Nashville, TN
.
#8
Overall Experience
(but those shrimp n grits pictured above might be the best EVER!)
Riffs Fine Street Food
Nashville, TN
.
#7
Overall Experience
Husk
Charleston, SC
#6
Crispy Squash Blossoms and Fried Green Tomatoes
F Scott’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar
Nashville, TN
#5
Piyaz
Zaytinya
Washington, D.C.
#4
Palak Chaat
Rasika
Washington, D.C.
#3
Tomato Tarte Tatin with tapenade and fromage blanc
Fig
Charleston, SC
#2
Salted Caramel Chocolate Bar
Gin Joint
Charleston, SC
#1
Overall Experience
The Catbird Seat
Nashville, TN
We visited Charleston this year too, and Husk was one of the best parts of the trip, and one of my most savored meals of the year!
Looking forward to reading more of your blog in 2012!
Catbird Seat blew me away. I totally agree.
Did I tell you that my friend’s son is a server at Husk? It’s on my list of where I long to visit.
And: my dear friend gave me Jeni’s ice cream cookbook, and so my husband and I are trying different flavors in our brand new ice cream maker. So much fun!
What a great server job to have! We loved it there. Beautiful space, great service, amazing food. The bar is really cool too- detached from the main house. We spent a couple of hours there after dinner, with me drinking mocktails of course!